A solid technical foundation is essential for business intelligence. While business users expect fast, reliable answers, IT teams focus on keeping the BI solution secure, scalable, and compatible with the existing system landscape. To keep these two priorities from pulling in opposite directions, it is worth taking IT requirements into account early on in the process of selecting BI software.
This article sums up common requirements for a BI system in seven checkpoints. Question by question, you’ll learn what to look for when evaluating products and how Bissantz & Company addresses each requirement.
Why the IT perspective matters when selecting BI software
Different roles within a company look at BI solutions with different priorities:
- The CEO and CFO need to know whether the company is on track.
- Controllers and BI teams want to find out why, as efficiently as possible.
- Managers need to understand what it means for their work.
- IT teams make sure the infrastructure is secure, easy to maintain, and seamlessly integrated.
To meet all of these needs, IT requirements should be part of the selection process from day one. So, if you’re looking for new BI software, keep the following seven questions in mind.
1. How does the solution fit into the existing data and system landscape?
Any BI solution with its own data storage adds yet another system that has to be maintained, secured, and kept in sync.
Questions to ask:
- Does the software build on existing data platforms, or does it come with its own proprietary data storage?
- How are operational source systems connected?
- How much effort is required when structures in the source systems change?
DeltaMaster, the BI system from Bissantz, uses the interfaces of widely used data warehouse, OLAP, and relational database systems, such as Microsoft SQL Server, SAP HANA, or Oracle. There is no proprietary data storage. DeltaMaster also analyzes data from modern data platforms such as Microsoft Fabric and Databricks directly, without storing a separate copy.
Bissantz uses DeltaMaster ETL to integrate source systems such as SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, or DATEV into a data warehouse or data lake. The tool works with standardized building blocks, versions model configurations, and generates documentation automatically. Changes in the source systems require minimal manual effort.
2. How does IT stay in control of governance and permissions?
A separate user management system alongside the company’s central directory (such as Active Directory or Microsoft Entra ID) and the database means twice the maintenance and more room for error.
Questions to ask:
- Does the software use the existing security mechanisms of the operating system and the database?
- Is it possible to sensibly allocate permissions between IT and different user roles?
- Is single sign-on supported based on common standards?
DeltaMaster uses the security features of Windows and the underlying database system. There is no need to manage passwords and data access rights separately in DeltaMaster. Users who have no permissions in the database won’t see any data in DeltaMaster either.
In the DeltaMaster Repository, permissions are split: IT teams define which users can access which applications. Within an application, the business department controls access to folders and reports, with separate rights for reading, editing, and managing.
When needed, the DeltaMaster Logbook generates usage statistics, for example as an audit trail for access to sensitive data. Through Bissantz IDS, both DeltaMaster Web and the Windows client support single sign-on.
3. Which architecture and deployment models are available?
The BI solution should suit the IT strategy, not the other way around. In regulated environments, mandatory security requirements for the architecture are often added to the mix.
Questions to ask:
- Can the software be deployed on-premises, in the cloud, and in hybrid setups?
- Can components be distributed and scaled?
- Is separation of the client, application, and database tiers supported?
Depending on the requirements, DeltaMaster runs on-premises, in the cloud, or in a hybrid setup. Regardless of where it runs, its components can be distributed across multiple servers. Larger installations can run several instances in parallel.
Where strict security standards apply, DeltaMaster can be operated in a three-tier architecture that separates the user interface, processing, and databases. Users don’t access the databases directly. Instead, a central service executes the queries and returns only the results. Each tier can be secured individually.
4. Are updates and data backups easy to manage?
Version upgrades should neither put existing applications at risk nor tie up IT resources unpredictably.
Questions to ask:
- Is component compatibility documented?
- What data needs to be backed up before an update?
- Does the current backup strategy provide adequate protection?
Bissantz documents component compatibility and the update steps. Applications, roles, and permissions are stored in an administration database on Microsoft SQL Server, which contains no analytical data. This database can be included in the existing backup strategy for Microsoft SQL Server.
For major technical changes, Bissantz supports parallel testing. Companies can test a new version in their own environment while continuing to work on existing applications without interruption.
5. What evidence of information security is available?
A BI system has access to a company’s key performance figures. That is why the provider’s own information security must be thoroughly evaluated.
Questions to ask:
- Is the vendor certified to a recognized standard?
- Does the scope cover both software and services?
Bissantz operates an information security management system (ISMS) in accordance with ISO/IEC 27001. The certification covers the development of standard software and the related services. Independent audits verify its implementation on a regular basis.
6. How does IT control the use of AI?
AI capabilities raise new questions: What data leaves the company, and who makes that decision?
Questions to ask:
- Are AI features enabled by default, or do they have to be turned on deliberately?
- Can the company choose the language model provider itself?
- Is there documentation specifying which data is being transmitted?
The Bissantz approach:
- Activation: The AI features in DeltaMaster are disabled by default. They only become active once access to a large language model (LLM) has been configured.
- Choice of provider: Customers can choose between Azure OpenAI, OpenAI, Anthropic, or an AI service they already operate centrally. Organizations already using Azure OpenAI or Microsoft Copilot don’t need to introduce a new AI platform.
- Data flow: Bissantz documents which data is transmitted. When the AI functions are activated, the language model receives only the titles and structures of the reports that the respective user is authorized to view, but no numbers. Report content is transmitted only when the user explicitly requests an interpretation.
- Division of labor: DeltaMaster calculates the results deterministically. The language model interprets them and puts them into words.
AI output serves as a decision-making aid and is reviewed by a human in accordance with the “human-in-the-loop” principle before a decision is made based on it.
7. How much internal IT capacity does running the BI solution require?
If IT professionals have to build every new report and handle operations on their own, BI quickly becomes a bottleneck.
Questions to ask:
- Can business users work independently without involving IT for every analysis?
- Can operational tasks be outsourced when needed?
- Are there service level agreements and dedicated points of contact?
Bissantz reduces the workload for IT without taking away its control. Users receive ready-made reports and analyze KPIs on their own, without having to bring in IT for every new analysis.
Depending on your needs, Bissantz handles design, implementation, and operations, while IT provides guidelines and governance. For cloud-based BI applications, Bissantz offers managed BI services covering operations, maintenance, and monitoring. Customers decide which tasks to outsource.
Bissantz offers service level agreements tailored to individual requirements, along with a dedicated point of contact who can be reached directly.
BI software that empowers business users and relieves IT teams
Even the best BI solution is of little use if it places an additional burden on the IT department. Therefore, by factoring IT requirements for BI software into the selection process from the very beginning, you can avoid creating new data silos, duplicate data maintenance, and security risks. This creates a reliable foundation for decision-making across the organization, from executive management to controlling teams.
To make this happen, Bissantz combines software and consulting from a single source. These solutions build on existing systems, use established security mechanisms, and leave IT in control, even when it comes to AI. Business users work independently, while IT gains time for its core tasks.
